Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-02-22
READY FOR WAR.
Boston Police Frustrate Plan TO Demolish
the Street Cars

the Street Cars
BosToN, February 21.-The most star:
ling feature in the South Boston strike wa
unearthed to-day.
The Post has discovered what appears t
have been concerted plan to destroy boil
life and property should the horse cars o
this line run after dark
For several days the patrons of the Soutl
Boston road have murmured loudly be
cause of the supposed timidity of tn,
officials OF the company or the police au
thorities, which forced them TO get HON,
the best way they could after six O'Clock
at night. All cars have been withdraw
about that hour, whatever the condition o
the weather or the walking. The reason
is now plain, and the facts are vouched fol
by the highest police officials of the cify o.
Boston.
Early last week letter was received al
police headquarters from resident of the
South Cove" This letter stated that
suspicious and incomprehensible move
ments had been noticed in "a tall building
on Kneeland street" Men had been seen
|
and bricks to the upper portions of this
building without any apparent purpose
This information was not very definite but
it was at once acted upon. Orders were
issued for thorough inspection of every
building on the street that was open to
suspicion.
On Wednesday the agents of the police
found something. On the corner Of Knee
land and Federal streets stands four.
story brick residence block, containing
hundreds of inhabitants Of the very lowest
classes; narrow stairs run from both streets
to the root, furnishing opportunities for
ingress and egress that had often baffled
the police. On the top of this building,
arranged in heaps just inside n narrow
and shallow wooden coping, was found a
miscellaneous assortment OF bricks, whole
and broken, with q few paving stones
the whole forming q dangerous arsenal
from the standpoint of a passer below, and
there was every indication that they were
for the purpose of attack. In addition, the
chimneys on this building, already loosen
ed by time and the elements. had been
worked upon till every brick from top to
bottom could be plucked off with the hand
| If wanted.
1t would be folly to say that the strikers
had planned this despicable ambuscade
Not the slightest proof exists against any
individual. The tetid rooms below swarm
with human being as a granary with YER
min, and, as told above, the entrance
from two streets, never fastened, offer q
clear passage from the pavement to the
roof. 1t is, therefore, impossible to tell
whether the intended assailantS even
lived in the building.
All cars from South Boston come uI
Federal street and turn into Kneeland
street at this point. Turning the curve
at walk the possibilities of an attack OI
this nature if that was the object aimed
at, are simply horrible to contemplate. A
shower of bricks from this height de-
scending Oh o crowded horse car under
cloak of darkness would have been mur.
derous in result, with slight possibility OF
tracing the miscrcantS. In addition ia
the opportunities Of escape mentioned,
adjacent buildings were easily accessible
from the rOOfOf the corner structure.
The South Boston road was at one mott.
! fed, and so the cars were taken off eacl
night in spite of the puhlic inconvenience
and consequent growls. In the meantime
| the collection of missiles was removed hS
the police and every buildingin this sec,
tion along the route traversed by the cars
was carefully inspected. For several day:
past the passer-by has wondered at the
abnormal display Of police force in thi.
vicinity, but it was supposed TO he the re-
suit of the strike.